Lubricating device.



No. 730.814. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903.

B. F. CAMPBELL &: J. BERG. f

LUBRIGATING DEVICE.

` APPLIOATIGN H LED DBO. 9. 1902` N0 MODEL.-

` UNITED STATES Patented J une 9, 1903.

PATENT CEFI'CE.

BENJAMIN F. CAMPBELL AND JOSEPH BERG, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS,

ASSIGNORS ONE-THIRD TO JOHN E. COATES, OF LITTLE ROCK, AR-

KANSAS.

LUBRICATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION lforming part of Letters Patent No. 730,814, dated June 9,-1903.

Application tiled December 9, 1902. Serial No. 134,486. (No model.)

T ir/ZZ whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN F. CAMP- BELL and JOSEPH BERG, citizens of the United States, residing in Little Rock, county of Pulaski, and State of Arkansas, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawro ings, forming a part of this specification.

The invention, to be hereinafter described, relates to lubricating devices of the general type for applying graphite or other character of lubricant to the moving parts in a steam I5 chest or cylinder of a steam-engine, the object of the present invention being to provide an automatically-acting device of simple construction, which upon the exhaust-stroke of the parts to be lubricated will act to supply 2o a desired quantity of lubricant, and upon the working or steam-pressure stroke will operate to shut off the supply of lubricant and close the connection to the lubricant reservoir or cup.

z5 With these general objects in View our invention consists of the parts and combinations as hereinafter set forth, and particularly defined in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a section of a 3o device embodying our invention, showing the position of the parts when the steam-pressure is relieved and lubricant is being supplied. Fig. 2 is a section of the device at right angles to that of Fig. l, showing the position of the parts when steam-pressure is acting; and Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the device with the parts in position indicated for Fig. 2, the suction-holes being omitted.

In the drawings, A represents any usual 4o or preferred form of reservoir for holding lu-v bricant-such, for instance, as graphite, oil, or the like-said reservoir or cup having a suitable cover A connected thereto andpprovided with an extension A2 atits lower end by A which the deviceV maybe secured to a steam Extending upwardl fromV the lower part of the reservoir or cup A is a guide-tube B, A shown as provided with external threads b at its lower end, by which it is secured in place.

It will be obvious ofcourse that means other y than screw-threads may be employed for holding the guide-tube B in the position stated, if desired.

Freely movable lengthwise within the guidetube B is a guide-sleeve C, the sides of said 6o sleeve extending well into the tube and having an accurate iit therein for a purpose that will hereinafter appear. Interposed between the seat c of the guide-sleeve C and a cap or abutment b at the upper end of the guidetube B is a spring C', normally acting to force the guide-sleeve C downward into the position shown by Fig. 1, its downward movement under the action of said spring being limited by a stop or pin c', extending prefer- 7o ably across the portion A2, as shown. At its lower end the guide-sleeve C is provided with a valve, (designated as a whole by the letter D,) saidfvalve comprising an enlarged head d, a cylindrical part d2, and a lubricant-chamber D', the said lubricant chamber being formed by a cut-away portion of the valve between the lower end of the guide-sleeve C and the` cylindrical part cl2, as clearly shown.

The guide-tube B near its lower end is pro- 8o vided with openings b b for the passage of lubricant from the reservoir or cup A into thelubricant-chamber D' of the valve D when the guide-sleeve C and valve D are in their raised positions, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. 85

From the construction thus far described it will be evident that when steam is working and there is in consequence steam-pressure on the head of the valve D the said valve and guide-sleeve C will be forced against the 9o action of the spring C into the raised position, asin Figs. 2 and 3, with the enlarged'head d of the valve securely seated upon the seat CW, formed in the extension or casing of the reservoir or cup, at which time lubricant will 9 5 flow from the reservoir or cup AV through the openings h b' in the guide-tube B and till the lubricant-chamber D; but when the steampressure is relieved from action upon the valve D, as when the exhaust takes place in roo theengine, the spring C', assisted by the ac- 4tion of gravity, will force the guide-sleeve C downward, thus moving the valve D into its lower position, as in Fig. l, the sleeve Cat such times closing the openings h b in the tube B and the lubricant-chamber D being free to discharge its contents of lubricant under the action of gravity and suction of the engine into the steam chest or cylinder.

In order to provide for a more prompt supply of lubricant and enable the suction of the engine to assist more effectually, the lower extension A2 of the reservoir or cup A is preferably provided with air ducts or passages e e, Figs. l and 2, disposed in position to be closed by the cylindrical part d2 of the valve when the latter is in raised position, Fig. 2, and to be in communication with the lubricant-chamber D of the valve when the latter is in its lowered position, Fig. l. The effect of this is that air maybe drawn through the said airducts or passages ce by the vacuum of the engine, and as at such times the valve is in the position shown by Fig. l the lubricant is readily and quickly drawn into the chest or cylinder. On the other hand, when the valve is in position, as indicated by Fig. 2, and steam-pressure is acting against the valve the said air ducts or passages will serve as telltales to indicate whether the enlarged head d of the valve is properly seated on the valve-seat CZ or not, since if not properly seated steam will escape and indicate defective action.

The number of air ducts or passages e e may be varied as desired, and to provide for a more uniform and effective action thereof the eX- tension A2 of the reservoir or cup A is provided with asmall air-chamberf, with which the air ducts or passages e e communicate, said air ducts or passages being continued through the lower end of the tube B in any convenient number, as will be evident.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isr l. In alubricating device, a reservoir or cup for holding a suitable lubricant, a guide-tube extending from the lower part of said reservoir or cup 'and provided with perforations to permit the flow of lubricant therethrough, a guide-sleeve fitted to slide within said tube and provided with a valve having a lubricantcham ber,means normally acting to maintain the valve unseated to discharge the contents of the valve lubricant-chamber to the parts to be lubricated and to cause the guidesleeve to close the perforations in the tube,

said valve being adapted to be seated by fluid-pressure against the action of said means to interrupt the supply of lubricant to the parts to be lubricated and to bring the lubricant-chamber opposite the perforations in the guide-tube.

2. Ina lubricating device, areservoir or cup for holding a suitable lubricant and having an extension from the lower part thereof, a

ervoir or cup and valve lubricating-chamber Y in one position of said valve, devices contained within said guide-sleeve and normally acting to maintain the valve in position to interrupt said communication and supply the contents of the valve lubricant-chamber to the parts to be lubricated, said valve being movable by Huid-pressure in opposition to said devices to interrupt the supply of lubricant to the parts to be lubricated and for establishing communicationbetween the reservoir or cup and valve lubricant-chamber.

3.v In alubricating device, a reservoir or cup, a guide-tube secured therein and having openings in the wall thereof, a guide-sleeve fitted to slide in said tube and carrying a valve, said valve having an annular lubricant-chamber and a head disposed below the lubricantchamber, means inclosed by the tube normally acting to move said sleeve and valve to cause the guide-sleeve to close the said openings in .the tube and supply the contents of the valve lubricant-chamber to the parts to be lubricated, said valve and sleeve being operable by duid-pressure in opposition to said means to close communication between the valve lubricant-chamber and the parts to be lubricated and open communication between the valve lubricant-chamber and res ervoir or cup.

4. In a lubricating device, a reservoir or cup for holding a suitable lubricant, a guide-tube within said reservoir or cup, and having openings in the wall thereof, a guide-sleeve carrying a valve at its lower end and movable in said tube, said valve having an enlarged head and a lubricant-chamber, a spring normally acting upon the guide-sleeve and valve to maintain them in lowered position to close the said openings in the guide-tube and in terrupt communication between the valve 1ubricant-chamber and reservoir or cup, said valve and sleeve being operable by iuidpressure in opposition to said spring to seat the enlarged head of the valve and uncover the openings in said tube to establish communication between the reservoir or cup and valve lubricant-chamber.

5. In a lubricating device, a reservoir or cup for holding a suitable lubricant, a valve disposed in the lower part thereof and provided with a lubricant-chamber, means normally acting to maintain the valve unseated to discharge the contents of the valve lubricantchamber to the parts to be lubricated, and airducts leading tothe valve lubricantchamber when the valve is in position to supply lubricant, said valve being operable by fluid-pressure in opposition to said means to interrupt the supply of lubricant and close the airducts.

6. In a lubricating device, a reservoir or cup, a guide-tube secured therein and having openings in the Wall thereof, a guide-sleeve movable in said tube and carrying a, valve, said Valve having a lubricant-chamber and a head, means normally acting to move said sleeve and valve to close the said openings in the tube and supply the contents of the valve lubricant-chamber to the parts to be lubricated, air-duets opening into the lubricant-chamber when the valve is in position to supply lubricant from the said chamber, said valve and sleeve being operable by uid-pressure in opposition to said means to close communication between the valve lubricant-chamber and partsto be lubricated and open communieation between the Valve lubricant-chamber and reservoiror cup.

BENJAMIN E. CAMPBELL. JOSEPH BERG.

In presence of J. F. RIEGLEB, B. E. SCOTT. 

